46FB5081.JPG Event on 4/28/04 in San Francisco. Phil Matier and Andy Ross for their column logo. Liz Mangelsdorf / The Chronicle

46FB5081.JPG Event on 4/28/04 in San Francisco. Phil Matier and Andy Ross for their column logo. Liz Mangelsdorf / The Chronicle

Photo: Liz Mangelsdorf, SFC

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San Francisco 49ers head coach Mike Singletary yells during the game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday Nov. 23, 2008 in Dallas Texas.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Mike Singletary yells during the game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday Nov. 23, 2008 in Dallas Texas.

Photo: Lacy Atkins, The Chronicle

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San Francisco, Calif., Police Chief Heather Fong announces at a June 25, 2008 press conference at the San Francisco Hall of Justice the arrest of Edwin Ramos of El Sobrante, Calif. in the homicides of Anthony Bologna and two family members on June 22, 2008 in San Francisco. Chief Fong is flanked by SFPD Inspector Tom Newland, left, and SFPD Inspector Mike Philpott, rightPhoto by Kim Komenich / The Chronicle less

San Francisco, Calif., Police Chief Heather Fong announces at a June 25, 2008 press conference at the San Francisco Hall of Justice the arrest of Edwin Ramos of El Sobrante, Calif. in the homicides of Anthony ... more

Photo: Kim Komenich, The Chronicle

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San Francisco 49ers Isaac Bruce jumps over Dallas Cowboys Terence Newman to catch a first down pass in the first half of the game, Sunday Nov. 23, 2008 in Dallas Texas.

San Francisco 49ers Isaac Bruce jumps over Dallas Cowboys Terence Newman to catch a first down pass in the first half of the game, Sunday Nov. 23, 2008 in Dallas Texas.

San Francisco Police Chief Heather Fong's decision to retire after nearly five stable but uninspired years on the job, comes just as Mayor Gavin Newsom is facing two tough political challenges with the city's powerful police officers union: budget cuts and the need for the union's backing for his 2010 gubernatorial bid.

Faced with a staggering city budget deficit, Newsom has asked the Police Officers Association to give back the 6 percent raise he agreed to in the last contract - just as he is asking other unions for givebacks.

At the same time Newsom is in the middle of an exploratory run for governor and is also looking for the police union's endorsement in order to shore up his law-and-order credentials.

The union, however, has a long and deep relationship with state Attorney General Jerry Brown, who also is running for governor.

And police union leaders - who have been dealing with crashing morale among rank-and-file cops over Fong's lack of leadership - have made no secret of their unhappiness with the chief.

Whatever the case, the mayor and the chief have been talking about a change for the past month.

Now it's official.

Singletary's cross: We've gotten a number of inquiries about the large cross that 49ers coach Mike Singletary wears around his neck on the field.

Here's what we know:

The cross is from a Baptist retreat camp in Green Lake, Wis., where the coach and his family vacation every year. As for why he wears it on the sidelines?

"If it were not for God, I would not be here," Singletary recently explained to reporters. "God is the role in my life. That is the No. 1 thing in my life. I start my day with him and I end my day with him in prayer.

"From the first day I started coaching, I decided to wear the cross as a reminder of who I am and not lose my mind on the field and not become somebody else," Singletary said.

You might recall that the NFL gave Singletary's fired predecessor, Mike Nolan, a hard time about his dress-code-busting suits. So, has the league said anything to Singletary about that big, dangling cross?

"No," he said. "If they'd say something about it, I would just move on."

I'll be back: They spent two days negotiating, but in the end it was clear to everyone in Sacramento that it was Arnold's way or the highway when it came to the latest budget deal.

At issue was Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's "economic stimulus" package - a collection of contracting, work-rule and environmental changes to make businesses happy.

He also appeared to be looking for more spending cuts and less taxes than were included in the package that Democrats sent his way - although on this topic, he was a bit more elusive about just what he wants.

Democratic leaders have offered to go through each of their proposals line by line to see if they can work something out. But there's a feeling that the governor might be using the "my way or no way" tactic to cover up his own unwillingness to raise taxes - other than the ones he has proposed himself.

Whatever the case, it also appears likely that state workers will soon have to take unpaid "furlough" days as well.

Despite Feinstein's recent nomination as chair of the powerful Senate Intelligence Committee, the former San Francisco mayor still feels a strong pull to run for the state's top job in 2010.

Her chief concern isn't whether she would win - it probably would be a slam dunk - but whether the voters and lawmakers are up for making the tough decisions she thinks the state will need to climb out of its fiscal ditch.

Flying high: His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoumshowed up in a gold Bentley for Wednesday night's big Champagne reception and lobster and beef dinner at Fort Mason celebrating Emirates Airline's new direct service to Dubai from San Francisco.

And while he wasn't volunteering any comments, his airline has been busy beating back reports, here and in the Wall Street Journal, about possible discriminatory hiring practices - for example, that the carrier shuns gay job applicants or female flight attendants who are something other than svelte.

"If a candidate for a position at Emirates in any country expresses that they are openly gay during the hiring process, this in no way affects the hiring decision," said airline Senior Vice President Boutros M. Boutros.

As for putting flight attendants under weight restrictions, Boutros said cabin crew members are required to undergo a yearly medical check that includes looking at their "body mass index" - but says that's strictly used to "help and support" them in getting fit.

"Being fit is one of the best ways a person can ensure they are best placed both to perform well at work and also enjoy the benefits that working for Emirates brings," Boutros said.

Party on.

On the road: After a bumpy November, Mayor Newsom's gubernatorial exploratory run is back in full swing.

Newsom sought to put last month's less-than-stellar election results behind him this past week with a big Santa Rosa town hall meeting, an appearance Thursday night on Rachel Maddow's MSNBC show, a "friends and family" fundraiser here in town and a swing down to Hollywood to pick up even more dough.

The last trip netted a fat check from NBC Universal executive Benjamin Silverman, who we're told has now maxed out on Newsom's campaign at $24,000.

Within the past month, Newsom has also collected $24,000 apiece from the likes of London clothing designer Domitilla Getty, San Francisco novelist Robert Mailer Anderson, and Lynne Benioff(wife of Salesforce.com founder Marc Benioff).